Gas burner with vertically spaced ports and interior baffle



Sept. 9, 1952 l. v. BRUMBAUGH 2,609,871

GAS BURNER WITH VERTICALLY SPACEID PORTS AND INTERIOR BAFFLE Filed May l, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ISAAC VERNON BRUMBAUGH Hfs ATTo/VEY Sept. 9, 1952 1. v. BRUMBAUGH 2,609,871

@As BURNER WITH vERTIcALLy sRAcRD RoRIs AND INTERIOR BAFFLR Filed May I, 1947 s sheets-sheet s INVEN TOR.

ISAAC VERNON BRUMBAUG H\ a# o BY HIS ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 9, 1952 s PATENT OFFICE GAS BURNER WITH VERTICALLY `SPACD PORTS AND INTERIOR BAFFLE` Isaac Vernon Brumbaugh, Clayton, Mo.

` Application May 1, 1947, Serial No.l 745,138

1 My invention pertains to gas burners and more particularly to conversion burners suitable for linstallation in coal burning furnaces and boilers. Many designs are already available for conver sion of coal furnaces to gas burning units. Many of these designs are complicated. Many of these designs are such thatthe gas flame or flames are directed substantiallyupward so `that the heat is directed to a portion of the furnace above that at which `the heat produced by the burning of coal would` act. Some of these designs are such that `the flames are not uniformly directed around the furnace. Sorneare such that there is not an adequate area for flame burning to produce the required amount of heat. Other such designs are difficult of installation.

Qne of the objects of `my invention is the provision of a gas burner conversion unit of simple and rugged design which may be conveniently manufactured, assembled and installed;

A further object is the provision of such a gas burning conversion unit which will operate einciently in all types of furnaces even though such furnaces may be designed especially for coal burning and may have ineicient heat exchange units.

A further object is the provision of such a unit which may be conveniently installed and assembled by insertion through the furnace fuel and ash pit doors and still may secure efficient and uniform. distribution of the gaseous fuel and heating llames.

A further object is the provision of such a unit having adequate flame area while maintaining the burner ports of sufficiently small size and so spaced that adequate properly placed air supply is provided and eiiicient burning is secured and While maintaining the flames directed substantially horizontally towards the sides of the furnace so that the hot gases will scrub the surface of the sides.

Further objects, features and advantages of my invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combination of parts and to numerous other features will be apparent froma consideration of the following specification which in conjunctionwith the drawings discloses a specific embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section showing a furnace or boiler having installed therein a conversion burner constructed and installed according to my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the burner of Figure l having portions broken away and portions shown in section and having indicated the paths of several of the gas flames, it

p11 claims. (o1. 15s- 114) Referring now specifically` to Figure l for a detailed description it may be seen that II` have shown a `conventional furnace or boiler 9 having water passages I0, a fuel door I I and an ash pit opening I2. The furnace has flue openings I3 and has a grate opening I 4 from which the grate has been remo-ved, the grate opening connecting the fire box I5 to the ash pit I6. Water circulating through the passages I0 is heated by the fire in the furnace 9 and is circulated from the pas-` sages to the locations where heat is desired.

Installed in the'furnace is a gas conversion unit Il having an inlet casing; I8, a mixing tube I9, a burner head 20, and a pilot burner 2|. The inlet casing I8 surroundsthe mixerbellf portion 22and the adjacent Venturi shaped portion 23 of the mixing tube I9,r the portions 22 and 23 being positioned substantially symmetrically' inthe casing Il and the forward portions of the tube I 9 extending through the inner open end of` the casing into the ash pit I6. Supports 24 :and 25 resting on the floor of the casing I8 and on the bottom of the furnace 9 support the mixing tube I9 in this position and through the mixing tube I9 thus support the burner head 20. These supports may be formed on the tube but are preferably bolted to lugs which are themselves formed on the tube. A removable cover 26 is provided for casing I8. Thus the casing I8 is sealed except for the open inner end above referred to and for an air inlet opening 21 formed in the cover 26. Normally the opening 2l is partially closed by a slidable plate or shutter 28 adjustably held in any desired position by a lock screw `3Il extending through a longitudinally extending slot 32. The ash door opening I2 is entirely closed by the casing I8 and by an air seal 34 formed of fire brick, asbestos or some similar sealing material, The fuel door II is maintained closed during operation of the conversion burner. Thus the only air (primary and secondary) which can enter the furnace for mixing with the fuel enters through the opening 21. scribed the primary air enters the mixing tube I9 through the inlet end thereof. The secondary air` flows into the ash pit I6 around the mixing tube I9 on all sides thereof, Thence it flows up from the ash pit I6 through the grate opening I4, flows around the burner head 2U, and mixes with the fuel mixture flowing therefrom. To adjust the total amount of air entering the furnaceV the AS will .be later detric leads and and a gas conduitll con-f nected thereto.

As is shown in Figure 1, the mixing tube i9 curves upward towards its outlet end until at its connection with the burner head 2 it extends substantially vertically upward. As is shown most clearly in Figure 6, I provide means whereby the burner head 20 may be assembled quickly, tightly, and simply with the vertical outlet end of the mixer tube I9. Because the head is symmetrical it does not .matter in what rotatable position the head is assembled on the mixer tube i5. The inner socket of the upper end of the mixing tube i9 is tapered and the outer surface of the lower end of the burnerrhead 2G is tapered. Thusas will be more fully explained the lower end of the burner head may be inserted in the upper end of the mixing tube and rotated'to secure a tight airtight joint therein.Y I also provide means, later to be described, to equalize the distribution of the air-gas mixture in the burner head and whereby the pressure of the air-gas mixture as it enters the burner ports is equalized. I also provide special means to insure suiiicient port area while keeping the ports suiciently small to prevent the flame from flashing back through the ports, burning at the gas orice 8G, and noisy operation.

Referring especially to Figure 3, Vit may be seen that the lowerfe'nd or the burner head 2u is telescoped into the upperend ofthe mixing tube i9 and isthus supported by the tube 53.V The head '253 comprises a lower funnel shaped member 82, an annularspaced memberor separator ring 8d and an upper closure member SS.

As suggested above one important portion of my invention is the special design by which I provide a relatively large port area consisting of a relatively large number of relatively small and restricted portsextending horizontally so as to direct the ilames of burning gas substann tially horizontally towards the side walls of the furnace at substantially the saine level as that at which the greatestv heat of a coal burning re is directed. rEhe extreme upper part of the Haring funnel shaped member 82 of the burner head 26 extends substantially horizontally as at 88. Adjacent the periphery, this horizontal portion 88 is formed with a plurality or upwardly extending radial ribs 9i) equally spaced from each other around the periphery of the portion 88. Equally spaced ribs produce flames of uniform length. As shown in Fig. 2 there are 72 ribs, but it must be understood that there may be more or less than 72 ribs. I prefer to vary the number of the ribs depending on the size of the burner head.A The ribs however must not be Vtoo wide as it is important for the flame totravel quickly around the burner in both directions from the pilot burner ilame. I prefer also that ribs be fairly close together so Ythat the burner ports are restricted sufficiently to prevent hashing back and noise in lighting, in operationand in turning the burner off. The spacer member 8'?. is substantially annular and iits tightly onto Vthe top of the ribs 90 when the parts of the burner head are rigidly bolted together, and thus forma row of ports such as are shown at 92 (Fig. 2).

Similarly the upper closure member 8S is 'formed adjacent its periphery with an equal number of downwardly extendingV radial ribs 9i equally spaced from each other around the periphery of the member St, the ribs Si being arranged to be positioned directly above the ribs 99. Thus when the parts of the burner head 'are secured together, there is also formed anupper row of ports such asV are shown at 92a positioned Abetween the closure member 35 and the separator ring 64. Each of the ports 52a arev positioned above one of the `ports, 92 so that there are provided a plurality I prefer to` provide a` relatively large number of ribs andthus secure a relatively large number of burner ports. .'Ihus I insure a large number of flames that are literally separate as is indicated in'Figure 2. This allows the flow ofA secondary air in between the flames assuring faster and more complete combustion of the gas. Complete combustion is not possible in designs where the names are not properly aerated.

The multiplicity of closely spaced ribsalso in sures a rugged sturdy structure which will not be warped and destroyed by the alternate heating and cooling of the burner head. If fewer wider ports were used there would bea tendency for the upper and lower members andthe separator 8d to warp and cause av changing of the size or" the ports resulting in a lack of uniformity 'f in heating and the possibility of iiash back.

With the large number of closely spaced, rela,`

tively narrow ribs, I have designed a burner which is not only very simple to construct and assemble and very efficient to operate, as has been previously pointed out, but is also sturdy and durable.

The funnel shaped portion 82, thel separator SA, and the closure member S5 are secured to each other by a plurality of strong (large) bolts such as are shown at 93, S, 95, 96, 91 and $8 (Fig. 2), it'being noted that while al1 of these bolts extend through and secure the lower member 52 and the upper member 86 to each other, alternate bolts 95;, J6 and 98 also extend through lugs 62 formed on the separator ring 84 and thus secure the ring 84 in position'between the members 82 and 36. These large bolts also securely hold the top plate 86 in its properVposition. The burner'head becomes quite hot and the parts must be rigidly bolted together.-

As suggested above I provide special means for quickly assembling the burner head 29 with the mixer tube i9. The lower end of the funnel shaped member 82 is formed as at |04 `with an exterior taper while the upper end ofV the mixing tube is formed with an interior taper or socket as at iS. rIhe lower end of the member 82 may thus be inserted in the socket atV H25 to form a gastight taperedjoint. A lug Hi8V formed on the closure member and provided with a hole, makes it possible to twist and liftV the head 28 in disassembling and also aids Vin the assembly operation. Thus it is possible to insert the mixing tube through the ash pit door itmight be impossible in many furnaces to in` sert the whole mixing `and burner assembly through either door `because of the relative sizes of the doors-and the mixing and burner assembly. Finally, as stated above, I provide special means to equalize the distribution of the airgas mixture in the burner head and Vwhere-r air-gas mixture in theburner head regardless of the fact that the'mixing tube is itself curved.

This baille is'integrally` formed with the curved mixing `tube and scientifically compensates for the curve.. The burner head is symmetrical and will not interfere with the equalization of pressure regardless of how it is rotated in the socket |06.- 'Ihus in assembling the parts it is unnecessary to rotatably position the head 2B.

In view of the full description above; the operation will, it is believed, be clear. In assembling the burner, the mixing tube I9 and casing Il arelinserted in the ash pit door IZ-.and sealed therein by the sealing means 34. Thepilot burner ,assembly 2 l-2 I a maybe inserted through the fuel door, bolted in `place and connected to gas line40 and electrical leads 3E and 38.r lOr the pilot burner assembly may be assembled with the casing I1 and inserted with it through the ash pit door. The burner head .is then easily and simply inserted through the fuel door l l and the lower tapered end thereof at 104 is inserted in the tapered socket at |06 to form a gastight joint. The door Il is then closed and thereafter maintained closed. The primary air is adjusted or regulated by positioning theshutter liliA and securing it in position by the bolt 68. The cover 26 is placed in position. The total primary and secondary air is adjusted or regulated by positioning the shutter 28` and securing it in posi` tion by the lock screw 3D. The pilot burner is lighted. Thereafter when gas is turned on in the tube 76, it flows through the orifice 80, the mixing tube I9, `the burner head 20, out all of the many pairs of small ports and is ignited by the pilot burner 2l, the flame travelling from furnace at the portion thereof where the furnace is designedto receive the heat when burning coal. I thus utilize most eliiciently the heat of the gas combustion. The baffle H0 insures equalization of pressure in theburner'head and insures flames of equal size all around the rburner head.

My conversion burner is thus sturdyin construction, simple for installation and most eflicient in operation.

l It is to be understood that the above described embodiment of my invention is for illustration only and various changes may be made in details all coming within the scope of my invention.

I claim: I

ward from the periphery, a spacer ring superimposed upon said ribs, and a closure member positioned above and spaced from the lower member so as to form a chamber between said lower member and said closure member; and having an annular ribbed portion adjacent to its periphery resting on the spacer ring and formed with a plurality of downwardly extending radial ribsequal in number to the number of upwardly extending radial ribs on the lower member and spaced around the circumference of the closure member so that each Vrib is vertically above one of the ribs on the lower member and extending inward from the periphery of the closure member so that there are formed a plurality of relatively small burner port openings.

2. `A. burner for installation in a coal burning furnace for `conversion thereof to a gasburning device comprising a burner head having :an upwardly flaring, substantially funnel shaped lower member having an exteriorly tapered lower portion, a substantiallycylindrical intermediate portion flaring outwardly to merge with a substantially horizontal annular ring at the upper portion, the annular ring being formed with a relatively large number of upwardly extending radial ribs substantially equally spaced around the circumference ofj the member and extending inward from the periphery only a relatively short distance; a substantially annular spacer ring superimposed upon said ribs and formed with a plurality of inwardly extending ears; a substan-V tially circular flat closure member positioned above and resting on the spacer ring and :formed with a plurality of downwardly extendingrradial ribs equal in` number to the number of ribs on the annular ring and substantially equally spaced around the circumference of the closure member and extending inward from the periphery of the plate member only a short distance so that each downwardly extending rib of the closure member corresponds to and is positioned above an upwardly extending rib of the annular ring and so that there are formed a plurality of pairs of relatively small openings for burner flames,` one opening of each pair being above the spacer ring and the other opening being directly below the first opening and below the spacer ring; and a plurality of relatively heavy bolts extending through said closure member, the ears of said' spacer member, and the horizontal annular ring` of the lower member to secure said parts in fixed position relative to each other.

3. A burner for `installation in a coal burning furnace for conversion thereof to a gas burning device comprising a burner head having an up` wardlyr'flaring, substantially funnel shaped lower member having a` relatively small lower portion and a substantially cylindrical intermediate portion flaring outwardly to merge with a substantially horizontal annular ring shaped upper portion, the annular ring shaped portion being formed with a relatively large number of upwardly extending radial ribs substantially equally spaced around the circumference of the member and extending inward from the periphery only a relatively short distance; a substantially annu` lar spacer ring superimposed upon said ribs and formed with a plurality of inwardly extending ears; a substantially circular ilat closure member positioned above and resting on the spacer;

- ring and formed with a plurality of downwardly extending radial ribsV equal in number to .the number of ribs on the annular ring shaped portion and substantially equallyspaced around the circumference of the closure member and extending inward from the periphery of the closure member only a short distance so that each downwardly extending rib ofthe closure member corresponds to and is positioned above an upwardly extending rib of the ring shaped portion and so that there are formed a plurality of pairs of relatively small openings for burner flames, one opening of each pair being above the spacer ring and the other opening being directly below the first openinfr and below the spacer ring; a plurality of bolts extending through said closuremember, the earsofsaid spacer member, land the horizontal annular ring shaped portion of the lower member to secure said parts in fixed position relative to each other; and a curved mixing tube member having a socket into which the lower portion of the lower member of the burner head fits and also having an interior baflie for edualizing the distribution of fuel gas within the burner head.

4. A burner comprising a burner head having a-lower member formed with a plurality of upwardly extending integral radial ribs spaced around the circumference of the member and extending inward from the periphery; a spacer member superimposed upon and contacting with said ribs and a closure member positioned above and spaced from the lower member so as to form a chamber between said lower member and said closure member and formed adjacent to its periphery with a plurality of downwardly extending integral `radial ribs spaced around the circumference of the closure member and forming an annulus which rests on and contacts with the spacer ring; a plurality of said ribs being aligned with ribs ofthe lower member to form pairs of vertically aligned ribs.

A burner comprising a burner head having a lower member formed with a plurality of upwardly extending integral radial ribs; a spacer ring superimposed upon and contacting with the ribs of said lower member; and a closure member positioned above, and spaced from the lower member so as to form a chamber between said lower member and said closure member and formed adjacent to its periphery with a plurality of downwardly extending integral radial ribs spaced around the circumference of the closure member and forming an annulus which rests on and contacts with saidspacer ring; a plurality of said ribs being aligned with ribsy of the lower member to form pairs of vertically aligned ribs.

6. A burner comprising a burner head having a lower member; `a spacer member formed with a plurality of upwardly extending radial ribs superimposed on and contacting withvlthe ribs of said lower member; and a-closure member spaced from thelower memberso as to form a chamber between said lower vmember and said closure member and formed adjacent to its periphery with a plurality of downwardly extending integral radial ribs'spaced around the circumference of the closure member and forming an annulus which is superimposed on and contacting with said spacer ring; a row of substantially rectangular shaped holes being formed between the ribs of said lower member and said spacer ring and a row of substantially rectangular shaped holes being formed between said spacer ring and the ribs of said closure member and positioned so thateach of the substantially rec.

ber fits, said mixing tube having means compris-- `ing a baflie formed inside of the curved tube adjacent to its upper end and on the side opposite to the center of curvature of the tube and Yon the side opposite to the direction to which the lower end of the mixing tube extends, for equalizing the distribution of fuel gas mixture withinthe burner head, said burner head being rotatable relative to said mixing tube member and the equalization of distribution of fuel gas being regardless of the rotative position of the head relative to the mixing tube member.

8. A burner for gas Vcomprising a burner head f having a plurality of substantially parallel series of ports producing a series of peripheral flames, each of the ports of each series being substantially in vertical alignment with a corresponding port of the other series, each port being separate from and spaced laterally from each other port of theY same series and aligned vertically and spaced vertically with the corresponding port of the adjacent series, and each port being spaced laterally from each of the next adjacent ports'of the same series a greater` distance than the distance that it is spaced vertically from the aligned port of the adjacent series so that the flow of gas to each port is augmented by the ow of gas from the vertically aligned port to produce a single series of spaced peripheral names.

9. A burner for installation in a coal burning furnace for the conversion thereof to a gas burning device comprising a burner head havingv an upwardly flaring substantially symmetrical and substantially funnel shaped exteriorly tapered lower portion, a substantially cylindrical intermediate portion flaring upwardly and outwardly to merge into a substantially horizontal annular ring forming the upper portion, the annular ring upper n portion being formed with a relatively large number of upwardly extending integral radial ribs substantially equally spaced around the circumference of the member and extending inward from the periphery only a short distance; a substantially annular spacer ring superimposed upon said ribs and formed with a plurality of inwardly extending ears; a substantially circular flat closure member positioned above and resting on the spacer ring and formed with a plurality of integral downwardly extending radial ribs equal in number to the number of ribs onthe annular ring, substantially equally spaced around the circumference of the closure member and extending inward from the periphery of the plate member only a short distance so that each downwardly extending rib of the closure member corresponds to and is positioned in alignment above an upwardly extending rib of the annular ring .and so that there are formed a plurality ofpairs of relatively small openings for burner flames, one opening of each pair being above the spacer ring and the other opening being aligned directly below the first opening and below the spacer ring; and means comprising fastening 'elements extending through said ears and secured to the closure member and the burner head for securing the closure member, the spacer member and the horizontal annular ring of the burner head in fixed position relative to each other.

10. Burner apparatus comprising a tube for supplying fuel, a burner head to which said fuel is delivered and which is formed with a plurality of rows of superimposed substantially horizontally extending passages leading to a plurality of rows of superimposed and individual burner port openings sothat a plurality of rows of superimposed individual burner flames are directed substantially horizontally outward from said burner; said burner head comprising an upwardly i'laring substantially funnel shaped lower member, having a relatively small lower portion, a substantially cylindrical intermediate portion fiaring outwardly to merge with a substantially horizontal upper portion formed as an annular ring;

a substantially annular spacer superimposed on said annular ring shaped portion and formed with a plurality of inwardly extending ears; a substantially flat and substantially horizontal closure member positioned above, secured to the lower member and spaced from said lower member so as to form a chamber between said lower member and said closure member, said plurality of rows of superimposed substantially horizontally extending passages being formed between the substantially horizontal peripheral edges of said lower member and said closure member; a plu-1 rality of bolts extending through said closure member, through said ears of said spacer member and through said substantially horizontal ring portion of the lower member to secure said members together; and a curved mixing tube having ribs of said lower member; and a closure member positioned above, and spaced from the lower member so as to form a chamber between said lower member and said closure member and formed adjacent to its periphery with a plurality of downwardly extending integral radial ribs spaced around the circumference of the closure member and forming an annulus which rests on and contacts with said spacer ring; a plurality of said ribs being aligned with ribs of the lower member to form ,pairs of vertically aligned ribs, in which a plurality of pairs of cooperating ports for gas issuing from said burner head are formed between the lower member and the clo sure member and the vertically aligned ribs, the ports of each pair being separated from but positioned closely adjacent to each other and each pair being separated from each other adjacent pair by a pair of said vertically aligned ribs for a greater distance than the distance between the ports of each pair.

ISAAC VERNON BRUMBAUGI-I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ci record in the iile of this patent:

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